Winiata ‘axed for attacking’

Who thought trying to score tries was a crime?

Well that’s what ended up costing exciting speedster Selica Winiata a spot in the New Zealand women’s sevens contract list for the year when it was announced on Thursday.

‘‘The coach [Allan Bunting] told me I attack too much with the ball,’’ Winiata said. ‘‘I’m thinking ‘is that not what you do in sevens?’ They were looking at developing the younger players and that’s all I got told.’’

The 30-year-old Winiata was again in top form for Manawatu this year as they reached the national sevens final last weekend, only to fall to Counties Manukau, but it wasn’t enough.

‘‘I was pretty gutted, pretty disappointed. I thought I had ticked all the boxes and had a pretty good nationals.’’

Winiata was the New Zealand Rugby women’s player of the year last year, but strangely there was no room for her in the sevens squad.

‘‘I was pretty surprised. But I think overall just disappointed.’’

She felt she had done everything she could, and said the final decision was out of her control, but would have liked a proper explanation about why she was left out.

She was also a notable omission from the Rio Olympics squad last year, where New Zealand lost the final to Australia.

Under then coach Sean Horan, Winiata was told she didn’t bring enough spark, which is a conflicting message to what she has been told now.

She said she was damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Winiata does have a tendency to attack a lot, but so often she breaks games open with her speed and footwork, and can pop up anywhere.

And even though she is the smallest player on the field, she doesn’t shirk her defensive work.

She believed Bunting may be changing the role of the halfback and want them to be more of a playmaker.

At least Winiata has 15s to focus on where she is likely to be a shoo-in for the Black Ferns’ fullback spot for the World Cup in Ireland in August.

For now she will take a short break then start preparing herself for the 15s season.